Sound-reproducing machine.



F. CHENEY.

SOUND .REPRODUCING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV-7,1912. 1,170,801. Patented Feb. 8, 1916.

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SOUND REPRODUCING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 7, 1912.

1,170,801. Patented Feb. 8, 1916.

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PATENT IEEFi-GE.

Application filed November 7, 131.2.

and useients Sound iieproducing which the iollowmg is a full,

achines, of

clear, and exact specification.

invention is concerned with certain improvements upon the orchestral sections, shown in my application No. 682,989, filed March 11, 1912, for Letters Patent of the United States, said orchestal sections being designed to reinforce or augment the air vibrations set up by the diaphragm and inoreperfectly reproduce the tones of the various orchestral instruments or voices to whose range or register the sections are adapted.

In the orchestral sections shown in the aforesaid application, which are of a gencrallv cubical, construction, open at both ends; the v". r ,tions or sound waves enter one end and pass out of the other, the various 1 tions being grouped so that their vibratin sides parallel to each other and to a coninion axis, a complete set of sections presenting, as it were, the general effect of a timing born or be l, but square, instead of circular, in cross section, and with the rectangular inner walls arran ed in parallel steps.

In my improved construction, instead of ha *ing all of said sections parallel to the same axis, 1 make one or more turns, or right angles, as it were, in the general direction in which the air vibrations or sound waves pass, and at each turn I place a modified orchestral section, which i. call a mevchanical throat, as it is provided with a palate and has the general eiiect t modifying the clear, forcible and somewhat colorless tones produced by the straight orchestral sections, and clouding or restraining them sufficiently to give a more h an tone to the voices and a more characteristic tone to the reproductions of the various instruments.

To illustrate my invention, 1 annex hereto two sheets of drawings, in which the same reference characters are used to designate identical parts in all the res, of which,-

l igure 1 is a central long .iinai and vertical section through a portion of a sound reproducing machine embodying my inveninninois,

coil/teeny, or cnicaoo,

Specification of Letters Patent.

ASSXGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMEE'ES,

ITO rumors, ccarcnnrion sounn-nnrnonucmc Macrame.

Patented Feb. 8, 19.1 6-

Serial No. 729,958

tion andcontaining a pair of the mecha throats; Fig. is a hoi'i" intal section c line AA.of Fi section on the li a horizontal Fig. o; Fig. is of the palates deta scale; Fig. (i is a view or cal throat shown in. l modified in a manner to Fig. 7 is a view-similar to ing the upper inccl l i. the connections to the ton modified.

I. have shown my invention as applied to the customary dish type of talking machine, in which the disk 10 is placed upon the rotating table or support 11, and is engaged by the needle 12 mounted in the customar'v manner in the sound box 13, which may be connected in any desired or customary manner by the tube or tubes 1% with the tone arm 15.

The structure so far described is of any ordinary type, and, instead of the disk style of machine, the invention. ini ht be applied to the cylinder type.

The tone arm 15 I have shown as square in its cross section, and in the form shown in. Fig. 1, the end is firmly secured in one side of the first mechanical throat 16, which is, as seen, of a generally cubical design, comprising four closed S1ClQS-fOf1I1lI1 flat inner walls, the adjacent walls being at rightangles to each other and an entrance aperac turev through one side, the same being formed, in the present instance, by the rounded-off edges 17 of the tone-arm. The side 18 directly opposite to the entrance has the flat rectangular vibrating surface, and the two vertical sides 19 and 20,'between the entrance and the side 18, are constructed like the side 18, and are of course parallel, and actas sound-reinforcing surfaces, in the same manner as the four sides of the plain orchestral sections shown in my aforesaid application No. 682,989. The exit opening is at the bottom of the threat, in the position the uppermost or firstthrnat occupies, and the, boundary of the exit crture is formed l p by the rounded-cit edges oi the sides 18, 19

tends slightly below the corresponding rounded edges of the sides 18, 19 and 20, which make up the other three sides of the square erture. The mechanical throat occupythis position. is subjected to very vibrations, and it must be solidly constructed, and as a convenient method of construction, I haveshown the side walls 18, 19 and 20, and the palate 21, as made oi comparatively thin pieces of resonant Wood secured in the elongated bOX made up or"; the top piece which also serves to form the side wall of the mechanical throat which is op posed to the exit aperture, and the side walls 25' 4., 25 and These walls are so proportioned that e box just referred to is uare in its l: about twice long as the other two diniensions. The lower end of this elongated box, bi "h also composed of resonant Wood, is Jy secured. on the top of the annulus which has the shoulder 28 formed on under surface cooperating with a correshoulder formed on the annulus ests on top of the orchestral section to be described. The purpose of the annuli 27 l 29 is to form a construction so that the tone arm can swing in a horizontal plane, as is necessary where it "is used with the disk record.

To hold the annulus 27 and the parts attached. thereto iirinly upon annulus 29, l proviae the arm 31 secure-o. J- the side of the annulus 29 and having a set screw 32 threaded through the end of the horizontal upper portion and cooperating with the recess in the center of the top piece 22, so that the pressure of'the annulus :2? on the annulus 29 can be regulated as may be desired. The orchestral section 30 has the same in ternal dimensions as the portion of the elongated 100K having the sides 23, 24, and 26 beneath the first mechanical throat 16, but, as will be noted, the walls of this orchestral section are thicker. lhe diameters of the concentric circular apertures in the annuli 27 and 29 are of the same length as the width of'the square internal cross sections of the orchestral section and I inay saythat the portion of the rectangular box made up of the sides 23, 2t and 25, together with the orchestral section proper 30, act as a single orchestral section in reinforcing certain vibrations between the opposed parallel vibrating Walls, and the circular passage between these two portions in the annuli 27 and 29 serves merely to transmit the vibrations from one section to the other without materially afiecting the same.

In the preferred form, the rounded edges around the exit aperture of the orchestral section 30 serve as the entrance aperture for the secondmechanical throat 3.3, which has the same general dimensions, eifcept thatlt posed parallel vertical side-War rental cross section, and is Fig. This change'in the location 1,176,8fii

is larger, as the first mechanical throat 16, but l'iiWill be noted that its axis is horizon-- tal, as it were, instead of vertical, as is the case of the first mechanical iroat. Th s second mechanical throat has the., wall3 opposite the entrance aperture, and the op l and as, which correspond to the walls l8, l9 and 20 of the first mechanical throats The exit aperture is formed by the rounded-0d edges of the walls 3%, 35 ant and of the palate bar 37, the rounded-oh? edge ofwhich preferably extend-s forward of the edges or the walls 3e, -35 and 36. The exact location of this palate is a matter adjustment, its location varies to some extent the ton-es being reproduced by the apparatus. flhe wall 38 of the mechanical throat opposite the exit aperture is formed by the end of th. elongated rectangular box, the end of which forward of the mechanical throat constitutes the orchestral section 39. its roundedoif exit aperture enters into the end of the 'next orchestral section 4.0, whose roundedoti edge in turn enters into the small end of a resonator 1-1, which is preferably the violin resonator shown in my aforesaid application l lo. 682,989.

l'lninodified orchestral sections, like those shown in my aforesaid application, No.

682,989, are seen at 39 and 40, and it will be noted that each cons sts of a substantially cubical box, preferably formed of resonant.

wood, and having one end open for the entrance aperture, and the opposed end with its rounded edges opening into the next section forming its own exit aperture and the entrance aperture for the next section, which,

above the entrance to the mechanical throat,

as indicated inihhe inodiiication shown in produces a slight change in the tones of the instruments or voices reproduced.

In Fig. 7, I have illustrated a modification, in which the tone arm 15 inust'be swung up to disengage the needle 12 from the disk 10, and in this case the tone arm 15 is pivoted by the hinge to the edge of the top piece 22 to permit the tone arm to swing up, and in that case 1 preferably provide a stop l?- on the under side of the tone arm to co'c perate with the Wall 23 to prevent the tone arm swinging down too far. I have found experimentally that the use of these mechanical throats, or one of them, serves some of them are reflected back against to modify favorably the action of the instrument reproducing the tones of solo voices and instruments, and, as I understand itythe action is about as follows: It will be noted the sound waves passing into the mechanical throats, pass through the apertures and on to the opposing walls 18 and 34;, from which the vibrations are reflected,

ls 22 and 38. According to r the rounded-oil edge of in the one case, and of the action 30, in the other case, adls and 38.,respcctively,

my the gaging directly the walls 22 and 38, and, this leaves a thin air cushion next to the walls 22 and 38, and these air cushions provide vibrating surfaces that are so sensitive and flexible that they will vibrate in response to certain overtones that the solid walls cannot respond to, and, as a result, certain overtones essential to the perfect reproduction of'some voices and some musical instruments can be augmented or reinforced with the result that the reproduced tone has all the overtones necessary to reproduce perfectly the voice or instrument, and in some cases a naturally feeble overtone or tones of I the voice are so augmented as to produce by the machine a richer tone or quality, 2'. 6., one with fuller and better balanced overtones than the original voice or instrument. By changing the locations somewhat of the bars 21 and 37 I am enabled to modify to some extent the efi'ects produced by them, and by their employment I am able to change the tones reproduced in much the same manner as the tones of the human voice can be changed by singing so as to resonate the tone in the roof of the mouth as compared with singing in such a manner as to throw the tone directly out without resonating it'in the roof of the mouth. By the employment of these bars 21 and 37 which I have termed palates, I can reproduce much more perfectly such tones of the voice as are produced by singin in the manner above suggested.

vi hile I have shown 'and described my invention as embodied in the form which I at present consider best adapted to carry out its purposes it will be understood that it is capable of modifications, and that I do not desire to be limited in the interpretation of the following claims except as may be neces sitated by the state of the prior art.

What claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A mechanical throat for sound-reproducing machines, consisting of a box-like structure having fiat internal sides, two of said sides forming a pair of opposed imperforate parallel vibrating walls, a third side having ..a opening to receive the sound anded vibrations from enwaves, said opening being of substantially the area of the side in which it ex and having the form of a regular polygon, a fourth side forming a vibrating wall oppo- 'ite the sound-receiving opening, a fifth open side being adjacent the other open side to permit the exit of the sound waves, and a sixth side forming vibrating wall opposing the last-mentioned open side, the entrance opening being oii'set from the wall opposite the exit so that a shallow air cushion is formed adjacent said wall 2. A. mechanical. throat sound-reareducing niacl'iines, consisting of be structure p ovided with a pair of opposed parallel vibrating sides and open at one side to receive the sound waves, and havingn vibrating wall at the opposite side, and open at a side adjacent the other open side to permit the exit of the sound waves, and having a vibrating wall opposing the second open side, and having a palate bar between the entrance and the exit apertures.

3. A mechanical throat for sound-reproducing machines, consisting of a generally cubical box-like structure open at two adjacent sides for an entrance and exit for the sound waves, and having the other four sides consisting of solid vibrating surfaces, and having a palate bar between the entrance and exit apertures.

4. A mechanical throat for sound-reproducing machines, consisting of a box-like structure pro *ided with pair of opposed parallel vibrating sides and open at one side to receive the sound waves and having a vibrating wall at the opposite side, and open at a side adjacent the other ope side to permit the exit of the sound waves, and having a vibrating wall opposing the second open side, the edges of the entrance and exit aper tures being rounded off as shown, and having a palate bar between the entrance and exit apertures.

5. A mechanical throat for sound-repro ducing machines, consisting of a generally cubical box-like structure open at two adjacent sides for an entrance and exit for the sound waves, and'having the other four sides consisting of solid vibrating surfaces, the edges surrounding the entrance and exit apertures being rounded off as shown, and having a palate bar between the entrance and exit apertures.

6. In a sound-reproducing. machine, the combination with a tone arm, of a mechanical throat into the entrance opening of which the end of the tone arm extends, said mechanical throat consisting of a generally cubical box-like structure having flat in ternal walls, each at ri ht angles to the adjacent walls and open at two adjacent sides for an rance and exit for the sound waves, the entrance opening being substantially theerea of its side, and the exit opening occupying all of its side, and having the other tour sides consisting of solid "vibrating surfaces, one or more orchestral sections consisting of generally cubical boxlike structures having four fiat internal -Walls, each at right angles to the adjacent fLIlECl sections extending from said second mechanical. throat on the. saine axis.

*(Jln a sound-reproducing machine, the combination with a tone arm, of a mechanical throat into the entrance opening of which the end of tone arm extends, said mechanical t roat consisting of a generally cubical hon-like structure having flat inter-. nal walls, eachat right angles to the adjacent walls and open at two adjacent sides for an entrancc and exit for the sound waves, the entr" nce opening being substantial'ly the area o itsside, and the exit opening occupying all of its side and having the other four sides consisting of solid vibrating surfaces, one or more orchestral sections con- 11:3 tures havir four l t internal walls, each at right angles to the adjacent walls, said sections having two opposed sides omitted to form entrance and exit openings, said orchestral sections extending from the mechanical hroat on the same axis, a second onechanical throat similar to the first, into the entrance opening of which the end of the last of the above-mentioned orchestral sections enters, one or more orchestra-l sections similar to. the first-defined sections extending from said second mechanical throat on the same axis, and a resonator into which the end of the lastoi the secondmentioned orchestral sections enters.

8.111 a sound-reproducing machine, the

combination with a tone arm, of a mechanigenerally cubical box-like struci, ra ser cal throat consisting of a generally cubical box-like structure having flat internal walls, each at right angles to the adjacent Walls, and open at two adjacent sides for an .en-v

trance and exit for the sound waves, the entrance opening being substantially the area of its side, and the exit opening occupying all of its side, and having the other four sides consisting of solid vibrating surfaces, the end of said tone armopening into the entrance opening of the mechanical throat, a second mechanical throat similar to the first but extending at right angles thereto,

and a swivel joint having an interior passage circular in cross section lnterposed be side, and the exit opening occupying all of its side, and having the other four sides consisting of solid vibrating surfaces, the discharge end of the tone arm extending into the entrance opening of the mechanical throat, a second mechanical throat similar to the first but extending at right angles thereto, one or more orchestral sections consistin of generally cubical box-like structures .aving flat internal walls, each at right angles to the adjacent Walls, and open at two opposed sides'for an entrance and exit for, the sound Waves, said orchestral sections extending beyond the second mechani cal throat on the same axis, and connections between said mechanical throats, including a passage extending from the exit opening of the first throat into the entrance opening of the second throat.

In Witness whereof, I hate hereunto set I inyhand and afliXedmy seal, this 25th day of October, A. 11-1912.

FOREST CHENEY. I [1,. s.] Witnesses: j JOHN HowAno MoELRoY, MILDRED ELSNER. 

